32 Reasons to Watch the World Cup (Other than Soccer)

Name: Essaïd Belkalem, 25Position: DefenderFun Fact: He also plays for the Watford, a professional football club in Hertfordshire, England.
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BALLESTEROS/ EPA

Argentina

Name: Lionel Messi, 26Position: ForwardFun Fact: A solid gold replica of his left foot was auctioned off for $5.25 million at a fundraiser for Japanese tsunami victims.
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WILLIAM WEST/ AFP

Australia

Name: James Troisi, 25Position: MidfielderFun Fact: He has an Italian father and a Greek mother.
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Matt Dunham/ AP

Belgium

Name: Eden Hazard, 23Position: MidfielderFun Fact: He has the coolest name on this list.
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JIM YOUNG/ REUTERS

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Name: Asmir Begovic, 26Position: GoalkeeperFun Fact: His wife, Nicolle, is training to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Brazil for dressage riding.
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BUDA MENDES

Brazil

Name: Hulk (a.k.a. Givanildo Vieira de Souza), 27Position: ForwardFun Fact: Frankly, this writer believes this spot should've gone to Neymar, but she was out-voted by the rest of the selection committee. She just wants you to know.
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Name: Keisuke Honda, 27Position: MidfielderFun Fact: A New YorkTimes writer recently wrote that he might be "the next David Beckham" for his sense of style.
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JULIO MUNOZ/ EPA

Mexico

Name: Rafael Márquez, 35Position: DefenderFun Fact: He's apparently very good at concentrating.
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MAX ROSSI/ REUTERS

Netherlands

Name: Nigel De Jong, 29Position: MidfielderFun Fact: Wanting a backup plan in case his soccer career doesn't work out, he also owns a classic-car dealership that operates in Germany and Abu Dhabi.
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NICHOLAS KAMM/ AFP

Nigeria

Name: Emmanuel Emenike, 27Position: ForwardFun Fact: He walked an hour and a half to get to the practices for his first soccer team, Delta Force.
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